"You can get into Yonsei University or Korea University if you play rugby." A Korean rugby coach's bittersweet remark... Why did he say it's okay to start with college admissions?

*This content was translated by AI.

"You can get into Yonsei University or Korea University if you play rugby. I started for that reason too."

Kim Jeong-min (43), head coach of the Baejae Middle School rugby team, honestly revealed why he first picked up an oval-shaped ball. Given his strong physique and athletic ability, a local scholarship officer recommended rugby to him. The words that swayed his parents were even more practical: playing rugby well could lead to admission at Yonsei University or Korea University.

Even decades later, "college admission" remains an undeniable entry motivation in Korean rugby. Currently, the major universities operating rugby teams in Korea are Korea University, Yonsei University, Kyung Hee University, and Dankook University. Last month, Coach Kim told StarNews at the "3rd OK Outman Rugby Academy," "Although the rugby market itself is small, the number of participants is also low, so the college admission rate is relatively good compared to other sports." He added, "At Baejae Middle School, parents consider college admission important. Some initially care more about whether their child can get into Baejae High School or how it might help with university admission than about rugby itself."

Some parents even ask, "Can my child stop playing rugby once they enter university?" This is a somewhat bittersweet reality in colloquial terms. However, Coach Kim does not consider this an incorrect starting point either. He explained that only one or two middle school students visit him each year saying, "I want to play rugby." This means the path for Koreans to first encounter rugby remains narrow.

Coach Kim smiled and said, "Tell them to decide then. If they work hard now and get into a better place, they may develop more ambition and want to continue."

What matters most is not why someone started, but whether they discover the fun of rugby after starting. Until early this year, Coach Kim worked as a Yonsei University coach and witnessed many opposite cases. Some players who entered university said, "I will stop here," while others responded with, "I'm going to quit anyway" even when training intensity was increased in preparation for the rivalry match. Even when told about possibilities of joining industrial teams, some players let go of the ball without hesitation, citing other career paths.

The choice itself is not wrong. The problem lies in how thin the player base of Korean rugby has become to the point where such trends repeat. Globally, rugby is not an unfamiliar sport. It is a popular sport with a thick player base and fan culture in Commonwealth countries including the birthplace England, Europe, Japan, and others. In contrast, far more people in Korea spend their school days without ever touching a rugby ball. This is why increasing opportunities for first-time exposure to rugby is crucial before even considering how to cultivate elite players.

Ultimately, there are two answers: teach children already involved the fun of rugby while simultaneously widening the entry point itself. Coach Kim lamented, "There are no players left for industrial teams to recruit now. We are even reaching out to high school graduates." He added, "If students start with college admission in mind but lose interest, and somehow end up joining industrial teams, their passion will inevitably decline."

Seo In-su, a permanent referee of the Korean Olympic Committee's rugby division, cited "tag rugby" as one such entry point. He noted that rugby is not an easy sport for beginners. "You need to touch the ball and play on the field at least once to understand it," he said. "Due to staffing shortages in schools, children are often thrown into games immediately after joining."

However, there is no need to experience strong tackles or physical confrontations from the start. Tag rugby significantly lowers this barrier. Instead of tackling, players remove tags attached to their waists, reducing physical contact burden and allowing anyone to experience the fun of rugby passing, spatial utilization, and teamwork.

In school classes, a rule is sometimes applied where a "try" is only recognized after all team members perform a "Haifa Eve." This encourages everyone to participate in the process rather than letting skilled individuals solve everything alone. Referee Seo conveys educational meaning by explaining that "try," the rugby scoring term, represents results created through collective effort and attempts by the entire team, not just one person.

Referee Seo explained, "I cannot quit because I can't do it. It becomes 'Let's do this together' or 'Well done.' School teachers really like this approach. It allows us to include educational content about cooperation beyond just playing a game."

Referee Seo Bo-hee, a former women's national rugby team player, shares similar views. She smiled and said, "Even friends who think they can't do sports gain a sense of accomplishment by removing just one tag. They feel 'I did something here' or 'I am part of this team.' Even without holding the ball and running, simply having an opportunity once brings great satisfaction."

Expanding rugby's foundation does not necessarily mean "creating one more player." The approach is to increase people involved in rugby from the Navy Headquarters level first. Even those starting as players can remain close to rugby as coaches, referees, or instructors later.

Referee Seo In-su emphasized that students and parents need to be informed more about pathways to continue rugby as a profession after their playing days, similar to the permanent referee system. Learning rules is not only to avoid fouls during games; it also broadens possibilities for remaining involved in rugby in other ways beyond being a player.

Watching rugby is another entry point. Recently, fans have even traveled to local tournaments after watching Netflix's "The Rugby: To Die or to Win." Yang Ji-yong (26) of the OK Outman Rugby Team welcomed this trend, saying, "Through broadcasts, YouTube, tag rugby, and amateur clubs, channels for encountering rugby are gradually increasing compared to the past."

The "3rd OK Outman Rugby Academy" held last month at Hanaglobal Campus in Seo-gu, Incheon was an experimental ground. Students from across the country participated, including those with almost no rugby experience. They experienced basic training based on Ministry of Education rules and met active industrial team players. No participation fee was charged. The significance lay not merely in discovering specific players but in creating opportunities for children to touch a rugby ball, meet peers playing the same sport, and experience what kind of activity rugby is.

The regular match between Korea University and Yonsei University to be held at 11 a.m. on October 3 at Seoul Mokdong Stadium's main field could also be someone's first rugby experience. For those who rarely encounter rugby, it is a rare chance to directly feel the excitement of an oval ball. Coach Kim also emphasized, "We need more content like rivalry matches so people can watch and become interested."

There is no need for grand beginnings. You can pick up a rugby ball because you want to get into good universities like Yonsei University or Korea University. You might first become interested after accidentally watching a rivalry match, or start by removing a friend's tag during school physical education class.

What Korean rugby needs now is not making every child a player. It is increasing the number of people who touch an oval ball at least once and helping some of them transform "rugby started for college admission" into "rugby continued because it's fun."

Coach Kim introduced the fun of rugby, saying, "Rugby is thrilling and exciting. Even when losing, there are many chances to turn things around, and even if I don't play well, we can win by helping each other." He expressed hope that rugby would become a more familiar sport to people.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.